Half to albert libber



(No Model.) A 0. BARUS.

APPARATUS FOR GARBONATING BEER.

Patented Dec. 25,- 1394.

Tm: Nom'us PETERS wv. WOTO-UTHQ, WASHIHGTDN, u. c,

To alljw'hom mag camera.- I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL BARUS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO ALBERT LIEBER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

APPARATUS FOR CARBONATING BEER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,356, dated December 25, 1894.

' Application filedApn'l 20,1894. SerialN'o. 508,332. (No model.)

Be it known that I, CARL BARUS, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Oarbonating Beer or the Like, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

Theobject of my invention is to produce improved apparatus for impregnating beer,

or the like, with carbonic acid gas.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1' is a central vertical longitudinal section of .my apparatus, applied to use, showing the parts enlarged. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view, illustrating the same, and showing more completely the relations of the parts of my invention'in practice. Fig. 3 is a view of a section of the elastic porous tube detached.

Referring to the figures on the drawings;

1 indicates-a strong receptacle, as for example, a beer keg provided with heads 2. 7 3 indicates an annular bushing screwed, as by screw threads 4, into the head of the keg. A similar bushing is'preferably introduced into each head of the keg directly opposite each other.

5 indicates a socket preferably having an annular head' 6 with holes 7, through it,

' which, by a suitable instrument, may be screwed into the bushing 3. The opening in the bushing made to receive the socket is preferably'provided with an annular ledge 8 between which and the head 6 of the socket is preferably introduced a packing ring -9. The bushings are preferably united by a pipe or case 10 extending through the keg and screwing at its opposite ends, respectively, into the bushings. By this meansa connection between the two sockets is made which is able to resist any internal pressure in the ke 11 indicates a tapered plug fitting nicely into the socket 5. It is preferably provided with an annular head 12 by which it may be are adapted, when the plug is turned about one quarter of a revolution, to be brought opposite the closed walls of the socket and the plug, thereby effecting atight joint between the parts.

15 indicates a plug, similar in all respects to the plug 11, except that instead of being provided with two apertures it is provided with asingle aperture 16 that is adapted to register with an aperture 17 in its socket. The plug is adapted, in like manner, to make a close joint with its socket. As illustrated, the apertures 13 and 14 open directly into the keg, but the apertures 16 and 17 communicate with thepipe 18 leading into the upper end of the keg.

For securing the respective plugs firmly within their sockets, curved slots 19 may be provided in the heads of the plugs and annular plates 20, secured by bolts 21 passing through the curved slots and'screwing into the heads of the sockets, may also be provided. By this arrangement, the plug, while free to be closed in the manner above described, is perfectly secure within its socket. A spigot 22, screwing into the plug 15, may also be used for drawing of beer from the interior of the pipe 11, and a gas supply pipe 25, communicating with a source of supply of carbonic acid, or other gas, not illustrated, and

with the plug 11, to' supply gas to the interior of the pipe 10 may be employed.

T-he'parts above described, although partially of my invention, are illustrated herein solely for the purpose of more clearly explaining the scope and nature of my present invention, and as showing what may be called a frame for supporting and rendering its employment' practicable. I, therefore, wish to disclaim any intention of limiting the sub-. ject matter of the present application to the mechanism hereinbefore described in detail; and to have it distinctly understood that it is shown and described for the purpose of elucidation and not as a part of the present invention. In'connection, therefore, with the, frame or supporting mechanism above described, I employ'an elastic porous receiver Ioo into the end of the plug 11. The other end of the elastic tube is permanently closed, as by a plug 28, or it may be made with an end sealed. Under a porous elastic tube I understand one which is either naturally porous and elastic, or one which is elastic and has been made porous by puncturing quite through the walls of the tube.

For holding the elastic tube extended, 10 within the tube, any suitable stiifening device may be employed, as for example, a split metallic tube, a rod and a spiral spring, or the like. A wire may also be wrapped spirally around the elastic tube on its outside 15 to strengthen it. The office of the porous elastic tube is two-fold. It is designed to permit the slow escape of carbonic acid gas through its pores into a surrounding liquid for the purpose of impregnating the same with the gas, and at the same time to prevent the liquid from entering the tube; 116., to act as a valve against its ingress. It is, moreover designed to automatically control the flow of gas,suitablycompressed, and to supply 2 5 the proper quantity, and not more, as it is required for keeping the liquid in the desired condition. The elastic tube may be prepared in diiferent ways, but it may be conveniently done by selecting a section of elastic rubber o hose. In its ordinary condition this is thoroughly impervious to liquids and practically so to gases. To give it, therefore, the required quality of porosity its walls may be pierced quite through radially by a delicate instru- 5 ment, of about the size ofa finecambric needle. In this manner a suflicient number of minute punctures may be supplied in it and render it capable of performing the office required of it. Each puncture, when the instrument which makesitiswithdrawn,isinvisibletothenaked eye and is virtually closed. The punctures are,however, sufficient to allow the tube to perfectly perform its oftice, which not only requires that they should be of the minute char- 4 5 acter described,but that they shall be located within elastic walls and therefore capable of sufficient distension to allow the escape of gas, or to be practically closed against it, and at all times to prevent the ingress of liquid.

In practice, the keg or other receptacle is partially or nearly filled with liquid, as for example, beer. This liquid enters the tube through the apertures 13 and 14 and sur rounds the tube 26. Gas,underrequiredpressure, is introduced through the plug 11 into the tube 26, which is, asjust noted, submerged in theliquid to be carbonated. The gas slowly escapes through the punctures in the tube 26 into the liquid, the excess of gas passing 60 through the pipe 18 into the upper side of the keg or receptacle. lVhen, therefore, the pressure within the keg is about equal tothe pressure within the tube 26, the flow of gas through the punctures will be checked until the equi- 6 5 librium is disturbed, as for example, by drawing the liquid from the spigot 22, or by leakage. The cause of this automatic operation is that the pressure of the beer on the outside of the tube 26 tends to close the punctures in the tube more perfectly, because such exter- 7o nal pressure tends to compress the walls of the elastic tube and to diminish their bulk, while on the otherhand the gas pressure within the tube 26 tends to expand it and to open its punctures. The two tendencies are, there- 7 fore, in opposition to each other and when their pressures within and without the tube are equal, the punctured valves of the tube will be practically closed and the flow of gas be checked. As soon, however, as the equilib- 8c rium is destroyed and the pressure in the keg is diminished, the tube will distend and the punctures permit the passage of gas, as before, until the equilibrium is again restored.

What I claim is- 1. In an apparatus for carbonating liquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to contain liquid, of an elastic porous closed gas receiver within the receptacle adapted to supply gas in an atomized form to the interior of the receptacle, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for carbonating liquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to contain liquid, of an elastic porous closed gas receiver within the receptacle, and means for automatically expanding or contracting the receiver to open or close the pores, substantially as specified.

3. In an apparatus for carbonatingliquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to contain liquid under pressure, of an elastic porous closed gas receiver within the receptacle and open at one end, said open end being secured to one wall of the receptacle, and means for supplying gas from the exterior of the receptacle to said receiver through its open end, substantially as specified.

4. In an apparatus for carbonating liquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to contain liquid, of an elastic porous gas receiver, and a superimposed conduit therein, substantially as specified.

5. In an apparatus for carbonatingliquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to contain liquid, of an elastic porous gas receiver, a superimposed conduit through which liquid is adapted to circulate, and means for regulating the circulation through said conduit, substantially as specified.

(3. In an apparatus for carbonatingliquids, the combination with a receptacle, of a conduit therein communicating with the exterior thereof and apertured at one end, a pipe within said receptacle communicating the opposite end of said conduit with the recep- I2 5 tacle above the contained liquid, and an elastic porous body within said conduit adapted to receive gas under pressure, substantially as specified.

7. In an apparatus for carbonating liquids, the combination with a receptacle designed to hold liquids, of an elastic porous receiver open at one end and closed at the other, said open end being secured to the Wall of the receptacle and communicating with the exterior thereof, and a superimposed conduit communicating with the interior and the exterior of the receptacle whereby the liquid in passing from the receptacle circulates through the conduitand around the receiver, and means for controlling the circulation through the conduit, substantially as specified.

'8. In an apparatusfor carbonating liquids,

the combination with a receptacle, of an elastic porous gas receiver therein adapted to supply gas to the interior of the receptacle in an atomized form, and means for prevent- CARL BARUS.

' Witnesses: V

JOSEPH L. ATKINS, HARRY Y. DAVIS. 

